Public Health Minister Somsak Thepsutin said on Tuesday he had signed an order restricting cannabis use to strictly medical purposes.
People wanting to buy cannabis would in future have to present a doctor’s prescription and a medical certificate detailing their condition, Mr Somsak said.
He did not say when the regulation would take effect.
The Department of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine said there would be a grace period before changes come into effect, so people could prepare for it.
Mr Somsak confirmed that cannabis will be reclassified as a narcotic in the near future.
Regarding licences for new cannabis businesses, a new regulation will be introduced that will require each shop to have a medical professional and monthly inspections. Shops found in breach of the requirement twice will lose their licence, Mr Somsak said.
